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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584843">From Across The Hall</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yrwarlock/pseuds/yrwarlock'>yrwarlock</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flufftober 2020 [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>31 Days Of Fluff, 31 Days Of Malec, 31 Days of Fanfiction Challenge, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Crushes, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Drinking, Drunk Alec Lightwood, Drunken Flirting, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Flufftober, Flufftober 2020, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Malec 2020, Malec Fluff, Mundane Alec Lightwood, Mundane Magnus Bane, Mundane Magnus Bane/Mundane Alec Lightwood, Neighbors, No Angst, No Sex, No Smut, Oblivious, Oblivious Alec Lightwood, POV Magnus Bane, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Slow Romance, Soft Alec Lightwood, Soft Magnus Bane, Soft Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Soft Malec, Strangers to Lovers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, drunk, friend, friend prompt, neighbors to lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:41:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,474</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584843</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yrwarlock/pseuds/yrwarlock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flufftober Day 10: Friend</p><p>When Magnus finds his extremely handsome neighbor, Alec Lightwood, disheveled and passed out outside his apartment door, how can he not bring him inside? Oh, and he definitely wasn't gawking at his pecs.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flufftober 2020 [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949497</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>From Across The Hall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day 10! Here we go...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alec fumbled with his keys, trying desperately to get them into the lock of his apartment door so he could collapse on his couch without a second thought. His head was spinning. Actually, everything was spinning.</p><p>His evening was not going well.</p><p>Usually, Alec spent his free time with his siblings. Though tonight he had decided to go out with some old friends from college, only to be ditched halfway through the night. Their group had been clubbing in Pandemonium since late evening, Alec had gotten so lost in the music and the grinding of a handsome stranger’s sweaty body against his own that he hadn’t noticed when his ride left without him. Leaving Alec stranded in a club that was about to close. New York was pouring down with rain by the time realisation had settled in his stomach. He had no money for a cab, nor was there an umbrella in sight.</p><p>He had walked half an hour through the rain back to his apartment.</p><p>Alec groaned, continuing to fumble with his keys, throwing his head back with frustration as he felt them slip from his grasp and land of the hallway floor with a soft thud.</p><p>His head was pounding, everything was spinning and most of all he felt like he was going to projectile vomit all over the floor.</p><p>Alec slowly turned on the heels of his feet, pressing his back up against the door to his apartment and sliding down it with anything but grace. His hands found their way to his dark hair a mess on his head, soaked and sticking to his forehead. His entire body was soaked. His black skinny jeans clung to his lower half, tightening around him, making him shift uncomfortably. The, also black, already tight button-down shirt he had worn was messily untucked and clung to his body too, one sleeve rolled above his elbow while the other encased his arm. He unbuttoned the top three buttons, hoping it would release him from the gross feeling of cloth sticking to his chest. It didn’t, but it sure made for a pretty sight.</p><p>Alec contemplated lifting his knees to his chest so to be out of the way of passing neighbours, but it was two in the morning and Alec was too far gone to care whether or not his neighbours saw him in this state.</p><p>He searched for his phone, patting down his jean pockets as if they were endless pits. Alec groaned, his head falling back against the door. “Shit,” Alec huffed, his breath reeking of alcohol and he scrunched his nose at the smell, realising he must have left his phone in the club. “Stupid frat boys,” Alec mumbled to no one but himself, cursing himself for trusting these people to look out for him any more than they did back in college.</p><p>Alec’s eyes fell heavy, his eyelids fluttering closed as he breathed in deep, his shoulders relaxing back against his apartment door, he stretched his legs out and groaned lowly at the feeling of them popping back into place. His head fell back, “Five minutes,” he murmured. The overbearing feeling of exhaustion now taking over his body, spreading out to each limp, lulling him into a soft sleep.</p><p>.</p><p>It was half-past two in the morning by the time Magnus had gotten home, he had stayed overtime and well, lost track of time. He hummed to himself as the elevator rose, a yawn creeping up on him not for the first time that night.</p><p>It left him as the elevator dinged, signalling he was at his floor, however it was quickly cut short by his lips pursing in confusion as he stepping into the hallway of his floor.</p><p>His neighbour, or at least the dishevelled shell of his neighbour, was passed out in front of his apartment door. Not only that, but he was soaking wet and a profuse stench of alcohol rushed into Magnus’ nose as he stepped forward towards his own apartment’s door.</p><p>Magnus unlocked his door with easy, stepping in and sliding his laptop bag off his shoulder and placing it carefully on the table next to his door. He had broken that thing far too many times to not be overly cautious when handling it. He had shaken his umbrella off in the lobby, now placing it in the small bin he kept by his front door. Peering over his shoulder as he hung his winter coat and scarf over the wooden coat rack, he noticed a pair of wide yellow eyes staring back at him, the ball of grey fur known as Church hunched under the couch eyeing Magnus’ every move.</p><p>Magnus inclined his head out of his front door, eyeing the man passed out on the other side of the hall.</p><p>He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He would probably regret it later, but before he could stop and remind himself to mind his own business, he was crouching down next to his dark-haired neighbour and placing a soft hand on his shoulder, quietly trying to awaken him. “Alec,” he said, his voice was low as he shook him lightly.</p><p>Magnus' eyes travelled down the man’s body, ogling at the way his soaked shirt clung to his skin and the three popped open buttons that revealed a forest of chest hair and soft collarbones. He shook his head, diverting his eyes back to his neighbour’s equally as gorgeous face, shaking his shoulder lightly once again.</p><p>Alec stirred under his touch, “Izzy?” He mumbled, his eyes fluttering open. His eyes were hazel, a beautiful, bright hazel. The lights of the hallway picking out the green amongst the brown, his pupils were blown.</p><p>Magnus smiled sweetly. “It’s Magnus.”</p><p>“Hi Magnus.” His neighbour slurred slightly, his voice was deep and husky, and a smile was twitching at his lips.</p><p>“Would you like some help?”</p><p>Alec nodded sleepily, his eyes squinting as to get used to the hallway’s lights.</p><p>“Alright, up you get,” Magnus reached his arms under his neighbours and slowly pulled him up from the ground. Once he was at his feet, his arm draped over Magnus’ shoulder and Magnus’ arm wrapped tightly around his waist holding him up. Magnus guided him into his spacious apartment shutting the door behind them, and onto his couch that stood in the centre, the floor-length windows were letting in dull moonlight, casting a dim light over the apartment, they stood in line with the french doors that lead onto the apartments wide balcony looking over the restless city. </p><p>Magnus smiled adoringly as the man flopped back into the couch, his eyes falling closed.</p><p>Magnus strolled further into his apartment, coming back a few minutes later with a towel and a fresh change of clothes under his arm. “Let’s sober you up,” He perched at the end of his couch, his body inclined towards the other man's, gently drying his neighbour’s dark hair.</p><p>Alec hummed, his eyes fluttering open, meeting Magnus’ gaze with a lopsided smile. “Hi,” he whispered as if to keep away from prying ears. “Hi,” Magnus whispered back, a tight smile spreading across his lips. Alec’s cheeks were rosy from alcohol, the colour spread down the man’s neck and spreading over his chest, in such close proximity Magnus could feel the heat radiating from the other man’s body. Combined with Alec’s breath-taking smile, it sent shivers down Magnus’ spine.</p><p>The moment was oddly intimate, maybe a little too intimate to be shared between two somewhat strangers. Magnus’ heart stuttered in his chest, the familiar feeling of butterflies in his stomach, -the same swarm that fluttered whenever the two men crossed paths. That warmth consumed him, engulfing his chest, making his skin tingle, the hairs on his arms stand to their ends, his breath catching in his throat and causing his stares to linger a little longer. Magnus couldn’t decipher whether this was simply because of Alec’s stunning features, or a persistent feeling beneath the surface.</p><p>He had known Alec since he’d moved in across the hall, two years ago. Magnus had stumbled over the boxes as he had left his apartment, falling right into Alec.</p><p>That day, Magnus had offered and so graciously helped Alec move his things into the vacant apartment as a ‘hey I’m sorry I practically drooled over your chest,’ apology. He had been, and still was, stunning.</p><p>Alec was only slightly taller than Magnus, his dark hair always seemed to be a mop on his head as if impossible to tame. Whenever the two crossed paths, it was usually fleeting. Surprisingly comfortable small talk during shared elevator rides, witty comments, and quips towards each other whenever they ended up checking their mail at the same time. The two seemed to have a lingering connection between them, even through their fleeting glances it was obvious, it was as if their unspoken connection was a firework that was impatiently waiting to be lit, but never being sparked.</p><p>Magnus cleared his throat, diverting his gaze from the stunning hazel irises. “I thought you’d appreciate some less wet clothes,” He said, offering over the clean t-shirt. To which Alec’s fingers shot up to fumble with the buttons on his own shirt, each one slipping out of his grasp as he pathetically tried to focus through his still drunken haze.</p><p>Magnus watched with a raised brow. He clearly wasn’t getting anywhere. “Need some help?” He said, sinking his teeth into his bottom lip trying to suppress a laugh.</p><p>Alec thrusted out his lower lip, forming an adorable pout as he batted his eyelashes at Magnus who just rolled his eyes. This man was going to be the death of him.</p><p>He swatted Alec’s hands out the way and undid the rest of the buttons, pushing the shirt over his shoulders and down his arms. He was trying his best not to gawk at the man’s pecs, at his muscles, at the forest of hair that Magnus so desperately wanted to spread his hands through, to feel the soft scratch of hair beneath his fingertips. Though, he was clearly failing if Alec’s now wide smile and quiet chuckle wasn’t a dead giveaway that he’d noticed Magnus’ lingering eyes.</p><p>“Shut up,” Magnus mumbled, feeling the heat rise from his neck to his cheeks and spreading to the tips of his ears, his face mimicking Alec’s. He threw the t-shirt and clean sweatpants at Alec’s rosy chest.</p><p>“You might be gorgeous, but I’m not going to dress you,” Magnus narrowed his eyes, watching Alec’s plump, pink lips once again form a playful pout that turned back to a shit-eating grin when Magnus cocked his brow.</p><p>Magnus turned on his heels, reluctantly dragging his gaze away from the extremely handsome and very shirtless man on his couch, giving Alec the decency to change without any more of Magnus’ gawking. If he wasn’t going to haul the 6’3” drunken man into his bathroom, the least he could do was turn away. An obvious and exaggerated huff left Alec as Magnus walked further into the spacious apartment, rolling his eyes to himself, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips, at the sound.</p><p>Alec’s body shifted where he sat, pulling his damp jeans off, and sliding the comfortable sweatpants on, along with the clean shirt over his head. He pressed further into the now damp couch, mumbling something Magnus couldn’t quite hear under his breath as he pulled the deep green throw blanket from the back of the couch and over his lap.</p><p>Church moved from under the couch, stalking his way around until jumping up onto Alec’s lap and nuzzling into the soft blanket. A warm smile spread across Alec’s features as his fingers smoothed through the cat's fur, earing soft purrs from Church.</p><p>Magnus’ brows furrowed as he shuffled across the room once again, hovering beside Alec as his eyes narrowed at the cat cosied in his lap. “How did you do that?”</p><p>“Do what?” Alec blinked at him, Church’s fur soft and soothing beneath his fingertips.</p><p>“That,” Magnus scowling, wagging an accusing finger at the usually grumpy cat sprawled out in his lap. “Church hates everyone.”</p><p>Alec shrugged. “Well, clearly not <em>everyone</em>.” His tone was soft and laced confidence, and Magnus revelled in it.</p><p>Magnus dismissed it with a wave of his hand as he pressed his body into the brown armchair across from Alec. Figuring out why the demon cat beloved his neighbour so much was a mystery for tomorrow, right now he was too tired to give it any more than a lingering glare.</p><p>Maybe the grumpy ball of fur was simply able to recognise beauty when he saw it, although that didn’t explain why he tried to kill Magnus on a daily basis.</p><p>“Stop looking at him like that,” Alec frowned, noticing the glare of daggers Magnus was sending the adorable fuzzy ball in his lap.</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“Like you’re waiting for him to kill me.”</p><p>“That’s because I <em>am</em>.”</p><p>Alec narrowed his eyes at Magnus before sliding his hands underneath Church’s tiny arms, holding him gently in the air, only inches away from his face. “You wouldn’t kill me, would you?”</p><p>Church just blinked his sunflower-like eyes at him.</p><p>Magnus’ breathing hitched and his eyebrows shot to his hairline. He couldn’t tell if Alec was brave, plain stupid, or maybe too drunk to give his dangerous action a second thought. Magnus was sure Church was about to claw his eyes out. “Alec-“</p><p>“No, no you wouldn’t!” Alec grinned, nuzzling noses with Church. This would be a natural recipe for disaster with any feline and Magnus had no idea how the demon cat was letting him into his personal space like this.</p><p>“See!” Alec grinned, lowering the cat back into his lap, going straight back to stroking him. His fingers tangled adoringly in the smoky fur and Magnus’ heart ached at the thought of it being his own dark locks.</p><p>A yawn left Alec as he shuffled further down the couch, his relaxing body pressing heavily into the tired black cushions. Illuminating moonlight cast over his face, combined with his jet-black hair, it somehow made him paler than before.</p><p>“I have to say,” Magnus started, snapping out of the minute daze he had been launched into by the display. He blinked slowly. “I am impressed, Alexander.”</p><p>Maybe he could get used to this. Having Alec in his apartment, cosying with his cat like he was family. The two had never been more than friends and Magnus felt his heart lurch at the thought.</p><p>Soft snores filled the room as the two slipped into slumber beside each other, hopes and wishes of a future whirling around them like fairies. Why had neither made a move? This, however, was another mystery for the hours of the morning.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading this! Your comments and kudos are massively appreciated.<br/>Knowing at least someone is enjoying my writing is greatly motivating, so, thank you again. &lt;3<br/>My twitter is @yrwarlock if you want to say hi!<br/>(My twitter is currently shadowbanned so it would be a huge help if you would share this work if you enjoyed it!)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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